At the Stadia Design & Technology Expo Sabic Innovative Plastics has announced of its latest polycarbonate (PC) sheet technology for stadium roofing.

With three decades of proven performance, Lexan sheet is the material of choice of architects and designers for roofing, walls, stairway enclosures and many more applications in well-known arenas and stadiums around the world.

In 2010, the company won its second European Polycarbonate Sheet Extruders (EPSE) Award for the Best Project and Innovation for the new 50,000-seat Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The stadium’s transparent, curvilinear walls are constructed from Lexan monolithic sheet, which contributes elegance, high performance and environmental benefits. UV-resistant Lexan sheet was also chosen for the roofing, façades and stairway glazing of the Soccer City Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, where the opening and closing 2010 FIFA World Cup matches were played.

For the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, Sabic Innovative Plastics’ engineering and design team is currently working closely with the Brazilian Soccer Committee for potential projects.

Ultra-Stiff Lexan Thermoclear sheet will help stadium architects and designers improve safety, durability and enable design freedom. With the ability to withstand high winds and heavy snow loads, Ultra-Stiff Lexan Thermoclear sheet was chosen for the free-hanging roof of the UEFA Euro 2012 Football Championship Stadium in Śląski Chorzów, Poland.

Solar Control infrared (IR) grades reduce build-up of interior heat in arenas while increasing natural light transmission. Another important benefit of Lexan Thermoclear sheet is its light weight, which makes it cost effective to transport and easier to handle and install compared to heavy glass panes. Also, the material can be used with a lighter supporting steel framework than glass requires, which can reduce material and shipping costs.

The three-wall, X-structure, Ultra-Stiff Lexan Thermoclear sheet can withstand wind and snow loading pressures of up to 2200 N/m2, equivalent to wind speeds up to 125mph (200km/h). It also offers up to 250 times the impact resistance of glass, to reduce the risk of breakage from wind, hail and other extreme weather, as well as vandalism. The multiwall configuration of the product provides excellent thermal insulation.

“Sports stadiums are often the focal point of a community and present an opportunity to make a daring architectural statement,” said Carina Viola, segment leader, Building & Construction, Specialty Film & Sheet, SABIC Innovative Plastics. “Our tough, lightweight and versatile Lexan sheet products make it possible to create large and dramatic roofing and glazing elements that perform in a wide range of climates and conditions. These materials are also an ideal choice for improving energy conservation.”

Lexan Thermoclick sheet systems in 40 and 50mm thicknesses are for applications such as cladding and façades of stadiums. An unique, 9-wall, 1000mm wide structure, the Lexan Thermoclick PC 50-mm sheet system not only offers twice the width of competitive products, but also provides a U-value of 1.0W/m2.K for thermal insulation, reducing power consumption by up to 17%, compared to traditional high-return, double-pane glass glazing. This new material greatly facilitates easy installation while providing excellent aesthetics.

Lexan Thermoclear sheet in XP grades offer a 15-year limited written warranty against discolouration, loss of light transmission and loss of impact strength due to weathering. Available in clear, opal white, solar control blue, bronze, gray, two green shades as well as a broad range of other colors, Lexan Thermoclear sheet also provides a variety of specialty coatings. For example, the Easy Clean grade has a proprietary technology that allows Lexan sheet to be easily cleaned with rainwater, resulting in significant cost savings.

In addition, selected monolithic grades of Lexan sheet offer anti-graffiti properties or compliance with building codes established by the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO). With exclusive abrasion-resistant coated surface on both sides, Lexan Margard MR10 sheet offers a 10-year limited written warranty against breakage, yellowing, loss of light transmission and coating delamination for potential use in dugouts, storefronts and windows, low-level physical attack areas, entrance doors and railings. This virtually unbreakable, transparent PC sheet provides remarkable clarity – even after many years of intense sunlight and weather extremes.